Pulp Police

[archangel1]

I've just started work on some of Bob Murch's Pulp Figures, specifically a couple of his Cultists and Boys in Blue.  I'm not worried about the Cultists, having chosen a nice deep red for their 'uniforms' but I was wondering if anybody knew of a good reference for Police uniforms of the period.

I know they're blue, obviously, but what about badges, buttons, rank markings (if any), that sort of thing? I used to have a couple of pages on various Police Forces (when they were forces and not services), cut from some old modelling magazines, but they are currently stored in a 'safe' place  :roll: .  Can anyone help?

Thanks,
Mike  :

[Heldrak]

Remember that "Cops" is short for "Coppers" which I believe refered to their copper buttons, etc. so dark blue uniforms with copper accessories ought to look good.

There is probably significant divergence between periods and regions (Chicago Police different from New York Police, 1920 Police different from 1940 Police, etc.).

If you're after authenticity, you probably want to set a more exact time and place, and then you can research that period in more depth.

If you want to "crazy go nuts"  a call to the local historical society for the locality you choose would probably do the trick...

[archangel1]

I'm probably thinking of the region from Chicago to the east coast in the 1930's.  I don't think I'd have any problem with Canadian police, seeing as the local Police Museum is in the HQ building about 5 minutes from where I work but our early uniforms appear to be a lot darker than those in the US, tending towards a blue-black like those of the Bobbies in England, after which they were obviously modelled, being 'colonial', you know!  :wink:

[JollyBob]

I think (and this is only from dim recollection of movies) that Prohibition-era Chicago cops also had very dark blue, almost black uniforms, again with the brass or coppery buttons/badges. Is that the sort of period you were after?

They also wore jackboots at one point, a definitely more military cut to the uniforms as a whole I thought. Kinda nice.

That didn't sound right, did it?  :oops:  ::

[W.B.Kurgan]

They also wore jackboots at one point, a definitely more military cut to the uniforms as a whole I thought.

I think the jackboots were just worn by motorcycle cops.  

Both from Chicago, 1923:

Policeman Andrew Wodarczyk standing at the front door of 121 East 30th Street


Policeman Andrew Wodarczyk standing and pointing at a sign at the rear entrance of 121 East 30th Street


(http://homicide.northwestern.edu/context/legal/cpd1/)

Edit: I just noticed that sign....  ::

[Poliorketes]

It's for pulp, ain't it? Just watch the Untouchables and you have your design.

[Lowtardog]

I made mine quite a bit lighter as the v dark blue just doesn`t seem right..though I like a Dick Tracy look for Pulp

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[Malamute]

Hi Karl, They look great

[Lowtardog]

Thanks Malamute  I enjoyed painting my gangsters though I did start to run out of ideas for bright coloured suits in the end  

[archangel1]

Remember that "Cops" is short for "Coppers" which I believe refered to their copper buttons, etc. so dark blue uniforms with copper accessories ought to look good.quote]

Just thought I'd check on this...

Short for copper (“‘police officer’”), itself from cop (“‘one who cops’”) ... i.e. a criminal. Sometimes explained as deriving from copper buttons or badges of early NYPD uniforms, though this is often stated to be a folk etymology. (Wiktionary)

The buttons always appeared to be silver in old photos, to me at least.

'Copper' itself goes back to about 1846.

[Lowtardog]

Copper relates to the Badge and not the buttons, in the 1840s they were given a uniform but a riot broke out as the Irish (think gangs of Newyork here) said it looked British, so they ditched the unifomrs and wore a copper badge to Identify them

[Operator5]

Here's how I had my Brigade Games cops painted up:




The lighter blue just looks more "cop-like" than the darker colors.

[Aaron]

They should be a very dark blue if you are going for accuracy. Buttons are brass IIRC but the badge is white metal. That's how I painted mine. They look a bit boring, but it does make a nice contrast to all of the garish suits my gangsters have.

That lighter blue scheme looks good, though and that's what matters on the table in the end. I really like your with the white trim Operator5. Very sharp!

[TadPortly]

Try here:
http://www.badgecollecting.com/back.htm

[Heldrak]

Not to indulge in threadomancy, but I've just started working on my own Bob Murch Pulp Police figures and I have a question regarding ranks and uniform/non-uniform use amongst the police:

How do/did the ranks work, exactly?

Patrolman
Sargent
Lieutenant
Captain
Comissioner

Is plainclothes duty a function of being a Detective? Where does "Chief" come in the ranks (too many episodes of Batman as a child )?

How does this whole thing with sheriffs and deputies work?

What about British & European equivalents?